Looking for advice on new gaming PC

a name

Distinguished
May 5, 2010
12
0
18,510
I want to buy a new desktop PC for gaming. Also a new monitor, keyboard, mouse & speakers that would be good for gaming too.

Budget: £1,000 (including the monitor etc).

I'm totally clueless when to comes to building a computer. But i can maybe get someone else to build it.

I can't say any games I'd want to it to run, anything that can play current/older games well.

Looking for recommendations down to the last detail.

I live in the UK so only recommend sites that deliver there.

Stuff i've been reccomended already (but looking for more opinions):

Pre-built PC (if i dont get one built)
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=FS-237-OK

Monitor
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=MO-075-LG
http://www.ebuyer.com/product/177132
http://www.ebuyer.com/product/160282
http://www.ebuyer.com/product/164043

Keyboard
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=KB-090-LG

Mouse
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=KB-001-CM&groupid=702&catid=23&subcat=1257

Speakers
http://www.ebuyer.com/product/175418

Components

Intel Core i7 860 2.8GHz
http://www.ebuyer.com/product/172754

Gigabyte GA-P55-US3L
http://www.ebuyer.com/product/174499

Corsair 4GB (2x2GB) DDR3 1600MHz
http://www.ebuyer.com/product/173122

Seagate ST3500418AS 500GB
http://www.ebuyer.com/product/158860

HIS HD 5770 1GB
http://www.ebuyer.com/product/186468

LiteOn IHAS124-19
http://www.ebuyer.com/product/176026

OCZ Z Series 650W PSU
http://www.ebuyer.com/product/190772

The Antec 300
http://www.ebuyer.com/product/143854

Windows 7 Home Premium OEM
http://www.ebuyer.com/product/173791

^ But i was reccomended to change the PSU & GPU to AMD Phenom II X4 955 & a HD 5870 which probably means other parts would need changing too.. ?
 

143miah

Distinguished
Apr 16, 2010
225
0
18,710
You mean your CPU and GPU.

I'd also recommend going with the 955, just make sure it's the updated C3 stepping one.

Another part you'd have to change if you switch the make of your CPU is your motherboard. You'd have to go with an AMD motherboard.

You could stick with that RAM as it's cheaper or go with this with lower timings for 8 GBP more.

G. Skill 2x2GB CL 7

You can swap that HDD out for the Samsung Spinpoint F3 which costs about the same.

If you plan on going AMD you can change your motherboard out for this which has Sata 6 and USB 3.0 support.

Gigabyte 790XTA-UD4

Could also swap out your PSU for a Corsair 750TX. If you plan on getting a 58XX series card, this would provide enough power and connectors if you decided to crossfire.
 
The prebuilt is straight out. You never get a good deal.

The build you put together yourself isn't looking so good either. The i7-860 is NOT a good gaming CPU. Heck, most people don't even consider an option for any build. The 5770 is a weak gaming GPU, especially since you only have 1 PCIe 2.0 slot at a decent speed.

Given your budget (about $1,000 US for the tower, $200 for the monitor, $100 for the OS), I would build something like this (I'll take a look on availability at ebuyer):

CPU: X3 435 60
Mobo: Gigabyte GA-790XTA-UD4 102
RAM: G.Skill Ripjaws 2x2 GB 1600 mhz CAS Latency 7 110
GPU: HD 5870 312
HDD: Seagate 7200.12 500 GB 38. This is a little faster in gaming over the Samsung, but they're basicaly interchangeable
PSU: Corsair 750W 95
Case: HAF 922 83
Optical: Cheap SATA DVD burner 10

Total: 816. If that's a little too expensive, drop the 5870 to a 5850.
 

a name

Distinguished
May 5, 2010
12
0
18,510
^ Great but i'd still like thoughts on the keyboard, mouse, and speakers. I had a look last night and staying with the Logitech G11 keyboard looks good but i changed the mouse to http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=KB-176-LG.

With speakers some of the reviews for the cheaper 2.1 ones say the bass is too much.. and i really don't want to spend a lot on them. Like under £50.
 

143miah

Distinguished
Apr 16, 2010
225
0
18,710


You could either get a cheap keyboard and mouse and then just get a good set of speakers and then just save up to get yourself a good keyboard and mouse. Or you could get a cheap set of speakers and get a good keyboard and mouse and just save up to get a good set of speakers.